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Bantling Boy
Bantling Boy is the fourth episode of the eighth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and it was originally aired on 16th January 2005. Synopsis DCI Barnaby and DS Scott enter the world of horse racing when the trainer of thoroughbred Bantling Boy is battered to death. Bruce Hartley was an alcoholic who had vowed to expose the reason why his father bequeathed the horse to a syndicate comprised of four Midsomer villagers. The members of the syndicate come under suspicion, but the killing continues - then Bantling Boy seems to fall ill. The detectives must unravel secrets hidden at the aristocratic Bantling Hall to find the killer. Plot The champion racehorse Bantling Boy was bequeathed to a four-man syndicate by the late Lord Hartley of Bantling Hall. The members are Bruce Hartley, his son, Dr. John Osgood, his doctor, Trevor Machin, his gardener and Joanna Craxton, his nurse. After a successful day at the races, millionaire Sam Tate offers £500,000 for Bantling Boy, but Bruce angrily attacks him, wanting to keep him. Joanna and Trevor are desperate to sell Bantling Boy to clear up their debts, but Bruce and Osgood are equally keen to keeep. Seeing as the syndicate needs a complete agreement for any action to be taken, the meeting reaches a tense stalemate. Bruce defiantly declares that Bantling Boy will be sold over "My dead body!" On a top 10 list of things not to say in Midsomer, that must rank pretty high. After insulting his mother, uncle, wife and an embittered jockey, Bruce visits Bantling Boy's stable, where he is struck over the head with a hammer by an unseen assailant and killed. Barnaby and Scott investigate the syndicate, and Osgood implies that the group doesn't just own a horse, but protects something else. However, before he can divulge more, Osgood is killed in a similar manner to Bruce, except this time a pennant cloth is wrapped around his mouth like a gag. Who was it trying to 'shut him up'? Barnaby realises Osgood's murder emulates the crest of Bantling Hall, the hammer and pennant. Barnaby finally makes the connection between the murders, but can he unmask the vengeful, psychotic killer in time? Cast *John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby *John Hopkins as Sergeant Dan Scott *Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby *Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby *Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard *Caroline Blakiston as Angela Hartley *Philip McGough as Geoffrey *Simon Kunz as Bruce Hartley *Anna Wilson-Jones as Marianna Hartley *Barnaby Kay as Dr. Osgood *Charlie Condou as Jake Foley *Julia Ford as Joanna Craxton *Shane Attwooll as Ray Craxton (as Shane Attwool) *Thomas Grant as Peter Craxton *Geoffrey Freshwater as Sam Tate *Richard O'Callaghan as Trevor Machin *Hugh Dickson as Major Dickson *Paul Viragh as Vicar *Stewart Harwood as Bookie Galleries Body Count Colonel-hartley.jpg|Colonel Hartley Died of cancer approximately 8-9 years prior the events of the episode. Bruce-hartley.jpg|Bruce Hartley Hit on head with Farriers hammer. Dr-osgood.jpg|Dr. Osgood Hit on head with Farriers hammer and pennant stuffed in mouth. Trevor-machin.jpg|Trevor Machin Hit on head with Farriers hammer and pennant stuffed in mouth. Joanna-craxton.jpg|Joanna Craxton Hit on head with Farriers hammer and pennant stuffed in mouth. Supporting Cast Angela-hartley.jpg|Angela Hartley Geoffrey.jpg|Geoffrey Marianna-hartley.jpg|Marianna Hartley Jake-foley.jpg|Jake Foley Ray-craxton.jpg|Ray Craxton Peter-craxton.jpg|Peter Craxton Sam-tate.jpg|Sam Tate Major-dickson.jpg|Major Dickson Episode Images Bantling-boy-07.jpg Bantling-boy-01.jpg Bantling-boy-02.jpg Bantling-boy-03.jpg Bantling-boy-04.jpg Bantling-boy-05.jpg Bantling-boy-06.jpg Video Notes The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes *Caroline Blakiston - Small Mercies and The Village That Rose from the Dead *Simon Kunz - The Dagger Club *Anna Wilson-Jones - Death and the Divas *Barnaby Kay - Written in the Stars Category:Series Eight episodes